Jay Miller

Michael Sofranko was voted president of Borough Council on Monday night and Jay Miller was named vice president. Council named Frank Lauth as fire chief to replace Patrick McGinley, who resigned. Council promoted William Diehm to first assistant chief, Eric Gunsser to second assistant and retained all borough officers.

Concerns by the Carbon County Conservation District over erosion of a dirt road has delayed the much anticipated replacement of Jim Thorpe's aging downtown water lines. The project, now estimated to cost as much as $6.7 million, will not begin until May, and most certainly run through the summer, said Jay Miller, a borough councilman and water committee chairman. Miller added that the second half of the project, replacing water lines on North Street on the east side of town, will not begin until 2006.

Charged -- Jay Miller, 45, of 2565 Applebutter Road, Friday with simple assault and harassment; allegedly punched Kate Magditch, same address, in face, threw her to ground and repeatedly kicked her; committed to Northampton County Prison under $2,500 bail set by District Justice James Stocklas of Bethlehem.

Charged -- Jay Miller, 45, of 2565 Applebutter Road, Friday with simple assault and harassment; allegedly punched Kate Magditch, same address, in face, threw her to ground and repeatedly kicked her; committed to Northampton County Prison under $2,500 bail set by District Justice James Stocklas of Bethlehem.

A former Jim Thorpe councilman lost a bid to recapture his seat, but his brother won re-election. Complete but unofficial tallies show Jack Miller finished last of five candidates seeking four council seats, while his brother, Jay, finished third. Jack Miller resigned in August 1995 for personal reasons. Jay Miller has been on council 16 years. Two incumbents retained their seats while two newcomers won spots. Final tallies show Edith Lukasevich with 1,036 votes, current council President Michael Sofranko with 950 votes, Jay Miller with 787 votes, Donald Reese with 580 votes and Jack Miller with 502 votes.

Council members received their committee assignments for this year. Jay Miller will chair the water committee with members Michael Sofranko and Ben Walbert. Allison Rodgers will chair the administration committee with Walbert and William Maurer as members. Maurer will chair the emergency services committee with members Miller and Bruce Shanfelt. Carol Witt will chair the police committee with members Miller and Shanfelt. Sofranko will chair the public services department with members Witt and Rodgers.

Laurette Renee Grozier and Jeffrey Scott Miller were married March 19 in Lees Chapel, Cedar Crest College, Allentown. Susan Weldner was matron of honor and Bruce Nisberg was best man. The bride is the daughter of Mrs. Shirley Grozier of Whitehall and the late Robert C. Grozier. The bridegroom is the son of Emily Zacharda of Kunkletown and Jay Miller of Catasauqua. Mrs. Miller, who graduated from Whitehall High School and Cedar Crest College, is a science teacher at Nitschmann Middle School in Bethlehem.

Jim Thorpe Borough Council last night signed a one-year contract with Borough Manager George Probst. The vote, however, was 4-3 in favor of keeping Probst, and two councilmen said they thought he was not doing an adequate job. Council President Michael Sofranko voted against renewing the contract and said the borough's budget is at "an all-time high." Sofranko also said several borough projects supervised by Probst have had problems, such as the resurfacing of basketball courts at Memorial Park.

In the race for Jim Thorpe mayor, three Democrats are challenging incumbent Thomas Wildoner. John K. Bartelt, Jay Miller, Joanne M. Klitsch and Wildoner are seeking their party's nomination in the May primary. Miller and Bartelt are serving on Borough Council. If elected mayor, either councilman would vacate his council seat. Bartelt, 29, of 214 Summit Drive, has been on council since 1987. Background on Bartelt inadvertently was omitted from the Election '93 roundup in yesterday's Neighbors.

When Jay Miller left Jim Thorpe Council two years ago, he promised to return. "Back then - December 1987 - my main concern was my daughter," he said yesterday, sitting in the living room of his home in the Switchback Ridge development. Nearby was a Christmas tree, with ornaments, tinsel and candy canes hanging from its branches and Ninja Mutant Turtles, a car race and other toys beneath it. Six-year-old Jay Jr., who has his father's blond hair, was playing on the floor and got himself locked into a set of toy handcuffs.

Michael Sofranko was voted president of Borough Council on Monday night and Jay Miller was named vice president. Council named Frank Lauth as fire chief to replace Patrick McGinley, who resigned. Council promoted William Diehm to first assistant chief, Eric Gunsser to second assistant and retained all borough officers.

A former Jim Thorpe councilman lost a bid to recapture his seat, but his brother won re-election. Complete but unofficial tallies show Jack Miller finished last of five candidates seeking four council seats, while his brother, Jay, finished third. Jack Miller resigned in August 1995 for personal reasons. Jay Miller has been on council 16 years. Two incumbents retained their seats while two newcomers won spots. Final tallies show Edith Lukasevich with 1,036 votes, current council President Michael Sofranko with 950 votes, Jay Miller with 787 votes, Donald Reese with 580 votes and Jack Miller with 502 votes.

Council members received their committee assignments for this year. Jay Miller will chair the water committee with members Michael Sofranko and Ben Walbert. Allison Rodgers will chair the administration committee with Walbert and William Maurer as members. Maurer will chair the emergency services committee with members Miller and Bruce Shanfelt. Carol Witt will chair the police committee with members Miller and Shanfelt. Sofranko will chair the public services department with members Witt and Rodgers.

A Quakertown Midget Football Association coach who claimed he was assaulted by drunken fellow coaches during an overnight team trip to Maryland last month will not return to Baltimore County to press charges, his attorney said. Association officials, who were considering counter-charges against James Lennon Jr. of Richland Township, have also decided against any further action. Lennon was dismissed from his assistant coaching position, said association Chairman Tom Garland of Pennsburg.

Jay E. Miller, 65, of 325 Maple Ave., Manheim, Lancaster County, formerly of Pen Argyl, died Friday in Reading Hospital. He was the husband of Marie A. (Roberts) Miller. They were married 43 years in July. He was a supervisor for the Bowser Construction Co., Lancaster. Born in Pen Argyl, he was a son of Malcolm and Irene (Unangst) Miller of Pen Argyl. He was a supervisor of daily construction for the new building committee of Ruhl's United Methodist Church, Manheim, where he was a member and volunteer for missions.

Jim Thorpe's seven council members will continue to chair the same committees as last year, council announced last week. Michael Sofranko, council president, will continue to chair the public service committee. Council members Carol Witt and Ronald Sheehan serve on the committee. Witt chairs the buildings committee with John Bartelt and Joseph Krebs as members. Sheehan is chairman of the administration committee. Jay Miller and Sofranko sit on that committee. Bartelt chairs the sewer and sanitation committee.

Jim Thorpe Council last night unanimously elected Michael Sofranko to serve as its president, filling a vacancy created by Jay Miller's resignation last month. Miller, who had been president for the past year, will remain on council for the remaining three years of his term. Miller, in a letter read during an executive session Dec. 27, informed officials that he was resigning from the presidency. He has said only that his reasons for the resignation are personal. Some officials and other sources familiar with borough politics have speculated that Miller may be interested in becoming borough manager, a position that council members are expected to create within the next several months.

When The Hooters take the stage at MarianCatholic High School tomorrow night, the 2-year-old guest of honor will be more than 100 miles away in her room at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Jillian Miller of Jim Thorpe, the young child who suffers from a rare and debilitating disease known as Hurler's Syndrome, was admitted to the hospital at 3 p.m. yesterday, said her father. Jay Miller said his daughter's spirits were good although "she hasn't gone through anything yet." Her mother, Barbara, will stay with her at the hospital.

In the race for Jim Thorpe mayor, three Democrats are challenging incumbent Thomas Wildoner. John K. Bartelt, Jay Miller, Joanne M. Klitsch and Wildoner are seeking their party's nomination in the May primary. Miller and Bartelt are serving on Borough Council. If elected mayor, either councilman would vacate his council seat. Bartelt, 29, of 214 Summit Drive, has been on council since 1987. Background on Bartelt inadvertently was omitted from the Election '93 roundup in yesterday's Neighbors.